Sara attends House hearing on funds, takes oath

President Marcos yesterday vowed to resist a "disturbing" plot of Vice President Sara Duterte to have him assassinated, chiding his political ally-turned-arch critic for resorting to "kwentong chicheria" or silly talk just to evade questions about her alleged misuse of confidential funds

- JOSE RODEL CLAPANO

Vice President Sara Duterte finally agreed to take her oath as a resource person of the House committee on good government and public accountability, to enable her to defend her chief of staff Zuleika Lopez.

Duterte initially questioned the House committee on good government and public accountability on the extended detention of Lopez, saying that it is "illegal."

But before she could speak up to make her manifestations, panel chairman Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua warned Duterte that he would not recognize her unless she took her oath "to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth."

The Vice President took the oath after Chua's warning.

"Mr. Chair, the position of undersecretary, the secretaries and other appointed positions are positions of trust and confidence by the appointment of who, Mr. Chair?" Duterte asked.

"The resignation letters of the usec (undersecretary) and asecs (assistant secretaries) of DepEd were accepted by the appointing authority. Who is that, Mr. Chair? The President of the Republic of the Philippines?" she pressed.